Actually two questions in one post (sorry)
1. I have an '87 Grand National that seems to be killing batteries when the car is idle. I just put it on the road recently with a brand new battery, drove it a few 100 miles, went on vacation for a week and came back to a dead battery. I had problems last year and went through a battery too. I have the shot power antenna disconected as well as the alarm. Anyone know of any common things to check ?
2. My car has an after market temperaure gauge installed that uses the connection in the block for the regular temp light on the dash. I want to
restore the original configuration. Anyone know the part number for the original temp sender ?
Dave
For the battery problem, I would check hood light, glove box light, trunk light, dome light, map light visor light.....anylight that might accidentally be left on, or not automatically shut off when it is supposed to. Do you have a non factory stereo sytem? Who wired it? Is teh stereo wired so that it is always on? How about any amps, do you have tehm, are they always on? You say the alarm is disconnected. Are you sure? Do you have a remote start? A friend of mine bought a used Blaxer. When he went to pick it up, the battery was dead. He told them to fix it. Every time he went to pick it up it was dead. They replaced the battery, and the alternator several times. They couldn't figure it out. Then one time when he went to pick it up, it started cranking over as they walked towards it. It seems that the previous owner had a remote start installed, but the dealer never knew, and never got the remotes. The truck would start itself, or try, and crank until the battery died. When they jump started it, the remote starter would reset, and wait until everyone was gone to try again. Those Chevys are sneaky ya know. Good Luck, and let us know what you find.
Brian
Pretty wild story Brian...
Well,heres where I'm at...
I have Factory Stereo, No Remote Start and
the fuses are/have been out of the alarm.
Checked the Hood,Trunk,Glove Box and all other Interior Lights.
Put a meter in line with the battery and measured only 13ma!!! (pulled the hood light)
The battery now has a dead cell as it won't recharge fully. I'm stumped
Defective battery! Take it back with your receipt.
The new battery should be fully charged and not connected for two weeks. Check it for leak down.
If ok, attach the cables for two weeks and check it for leak down without trying to start the car.
If ok, you should be ready to roll. If not, you know there is a short somewhere. Sometimes it's corrosion providing a leak path.
Good luck on your troubleshooting.
Check wiring on the temp gage to make sure it's on a switched and not on a "battery" circuit. You can find the part # in the tech area.
WHEN I FIRST GOT MY 87 GN HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS. FIRST I HOOKED UP AN AMP METER (ALWAYS SHOWED IT WAS DRAWING) DISCONNECTED UNECESSARY POWER FEATURES AND STILL HAD SAME PROBLEM...CHECKED ALTERNATOR 14.3, BUT LAST OWNER STUCK A REBUILT 105 AMP IN. GN CAME WITH A 120 AMP. REBUILT IT WITH A 140 AMP., BATTERY WAS NEW BUT A CHEAP 455 CCA. TOOK MY NEWER TRUCK BATTERY NAPA XDT 800 (850CCA)STUCK IT IN FOR KICKS, AND CASPER ELECT. WIRE TO FUEL PUMP. CAR RUNS LIKE BRAND NEW EVER SINCE!